Inevitably, senior ambulance billers will (and should) influence EMS billing software decisions. EMS billers are constantly under fire when it comes to compliance, rejection/denial rates, and efficiency. It’s not easy for EMS billers to manage all the demands of ambulance billing while still maintaining quality. In order to meet the high demands of ambulance billing, EMS billers need a software that works for them and not against them.

This post addresses what EMS billers need in an EMS billing software in order to make ambulance claims processing as efficient as possible.

Billing software, in general, is designed to process a high volume of claims as quickly as possible. Billing software specifically designed for ambulance claims processing further improves efficiency with a workflow that focuses on the specialized nature of ambulance billing. Generic software doesn’t consider things like Physician Certification Statements or location modifiers specific to ambulance billing.

Software dedicated to EMS billing can also integrate with ePCR software for faster data entry. Additionally, while processing standard ambulance claims, EMS Billing software will flag any charts and claims with possible anomalies for later review by an ambulance billing professional. The end result: a streamlined process that liberates ambulance billing staff to work on more important issues without sacrificing quality. They can then focus on issues that may cause delays in ambulance claims processing or result in denials.

EMS billing software can search for errors and omissions much more rapidly than a human being could. Software designed to handle the entire EMS patient care continuum can automatically check for errors and validate data from dispatch to claim submission. Likelihood of errors in your ambulance claims plummets, and so does the likelihood of a denial.

Better Use of Human Resources

Software never completely removes the human element from the ambulance billing process, nor should it. Ambulance billing software does, however, specialize that human element by flagging errors and omissions for later review. This blends human and machine strengths for maximum efficiency.

As ambulance services try to reduce cost, service administrators will need to evaluate payroll cost versus software cost. In instances where electronic billing claims processes do require less human resources, the EMS billing staff must have a higher level of training and expertise.

Accurate, Effective EMS Billing Records Balancing

Balancing ambulance claims after completing postings (including payment, contractual allowance, and denial postings) should occur daily so that the ambulance agency knows its exact collections and cash flow status at all times. This is especially important where tight timely filing deadlines exist.

Manual, daily EMS Billing record balancing is an expensive waste of time and human resources. Meanwhile, handling appeals, pending bills, and ambulance claims submission – activities that a computer cannot do with the quality an EMS biller could – needlessly fall to the side for later. Furthermore, manual balancing opens the door to mathematical errors and mistranslation. EMS billing software applications completely remove that from the equation.

EMS administrators and managers struggle with making ends meet as costs rise and reimbursement rates continue to decline. Investment in EMS billing and/or electronic claims submission software understandably raises some concerns, especially when you have to evaluate and compare the cost of human resources and the cost of electronic resources. Additionally, putting the ambulance claims submission process into the hands of a computer versus an EMS billing expert can provoke significant anxiety.

Yet, as valid as those feelings are, one must remember that any significant change, for better or worse, presents its own difficulties. In the case of EMS Billing software, the momentary discomfort is more than worth it. When the proper EMS billing software is utilized, ambulance claims submission success increases, as does work efficiency of EMS billing specialists involved.